How my father stopped me from being a footballer — SCOA Chairman Henry Agbamu •Mourns ‘Wonder Boy’ Paul Hamilton News

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How my father stopped me from being a footballer — SCOA Chairman Henry Agbamu •Mourns ‘Wonder Boy’ Paul Hamilton

By Victor Enyinnaya on May 22, 2017

Chairman of SCOA Nigeria Plc, Henry Agbamu, has revealed that his father locked him up every school vacation period to prevent him from playing football.

According to the ex-international who played alongside the late ‘Wonder Boy’ Paul Hamilton, his father, the late John Agbamu, detested sports and never wanted to hear or see his any of his children participate actively in any sporting event because athletes were then regarded or seen as dropouts and never-do-wells.

He emphasised that the insistence of his father, who wanted him to further his education, drastically slowed him down from growing his then blooming career in football, which he had under his feet. He said football ran through his blood, for which he captained his college team at College of Immaculate Conception Benin. He recalled vividly how he scored 317 penalty kicks because he grew to become a specialist in that.

Said Agbamu: “I must say that it pains seeing how the game is being administered today. Many things are wrong. Nigerian football and her teeming talented youths who are football freaks never deserve what they are getting from those vested with the responsibility of ensuring the sustained development of the sport in the country. It has been in snail speed if at all there is anything going on.

“That was why after taking a long look and reflecting back on where I’m coming from; I thanked my father immensely on his foresight preventing me from taking a full dive into football. I don’t regret it at all till this moment. However, the naked truth, I was a naturally talented footballer and my displays on the field, I remember with huge nostalgia that despite my often absence from training due to my academic work load in the University of Lagos that caused my being in and out of the game, I was at my peak always.

“My nick name then was ‘Doctor’ due to my engrossed interest in academic endeavours and my natural passion for football I demonstrated in glowing and practical terms. I perfectly fitted into coach’s tactical formation even if it was only for a day that I attended training. Let me further tell you that whenever I came to training, the coach would always ensure he featured me in his team’s first eleven. This scenario continued unabated and I must confess that by my nature, I was not so comfortable with such special treatment but my teammates and the technical crew were not complaining, though. It was fun to behold being among such one big and united family; that was why our team succeeded. Team work was at its peak.”

Agbamu told Daily Sports that he gained admission to study Business Administration at the University of Lagos and barely one week after he resumed, he was at the Bus-Stop waiting for a cab, and incidentally, the vehicle he flagged down was that of late eminent Justice Elias. Having seen the length of the vehicle, he turned his back on it and refused to near the car. “But he instructed his driver to ask me to come.” When he went, “Instantly he asked if I was a student of the university and the course I was offered. That was after asking my name. He asked whether I would want to study Law and I said yes. He then told me to see him the next day, and I did.” That was how he found himself in Law Faculty where he studied Law. “The rest is now history,” he said, adding:

“I graduated as a Lawyer and was employed by SCOA. I rose through the ranks and also served in many other higher capacities before becoming its Chairman. I have served the company for 46 years. I tried to bring my football experience to this place. I helped to register the Nigeria Football Coaches Association. I tried to build up Coaches Association, encourage them and even have written many papers on the way forward. I significantly help the coaches; their condition is too worrisome, and fact on ground is that everyone of us knew the country has failed to help them. It is why many of them are in penury situation today either after serving the nation or in respective football clubs across the country. It is as sad as that. These coaches have no reason to be the way they are today if there is a well organised and tailored system that keeps records of these things. In short, no data, everything is being run in Jankara-like fashion till date.”

Agbamu regretted that his well-articulated 22 pages position paper to one-time Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, General Dominic Oneya, was never acknowledged.

He told Daily Sports: “When you look at such scenarios, you will be tempted to become disenchanted with such primitive system that does not differentiate the importance of harmless nod that purely came out of patriotism and natural love for the round leather which I played. I was never interested in his position, but just how and why we can give the game the kind of face it deserved in Nigeria like other civilised climes where it has now grown into a big industry and also large employer of labour. That unexpected behaviour from such high profile personality and administrator could instantly put off any mere observer of the game. This kind of crude attitude is still on till now.

“Nigerian football administrators and, indeed, those of other sports, need re-orientation and attitudinal change, too, if the game must move forward – definitely not this often business as usual year-in, year-out. It is also on record that I was the first to set up All Stars FC; Hamilton helped me to organise. It was in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, etc. I initiated SCOA Chairman’s Cup on November 27, 1971; Paul was the one that organised the editions.”

Agnamu recalled that he met late Paul Hamilton in the early 1960’s and both of them remained close till his demise recently. In a tribute, he described the late ‘Wonder Boy’ as “a great organiser, very jovial, good fellow that knew how to spice jokes up with rib-cracking humour narratives, hard worker and dedicated human being that gave his all to the causes he believed in. He was an interesting and passionate character; a prodigious organiser of men.

“He had uncommon charisma. My happiness remains that I always handed over to him all football activities to organise and from time to time he invited me to come around to deliver papers, especially the period he was in charge of the Ogunlana Drive office of the NFF, or to give players pep talks. However, one of my greatest regrets was that we didn’t see each other in the last 10 years before his death. Despite that, in my heart of hearts, I intended to see him but frequent increasing tighter schedules never permitted. On a lighter mood, I never knew he was older than I am until his Service of Songs day because two of us argued as we never agreed on who was senior to whom. Honestly, I remember my closeness with him, as if it was yesterday.”

Agbamu, who is one of the leading members of the Association of Sports Veterans Nigeria, said without any reservation that the fate of the country’s football at the moment at the national team level lies in the hands of a seasoned foreign technical adviser. He prayed that the Franco-German handler, Gernot Rohr, would get five-star support and encouragement to deliver the 2018 World Cup ticket amid the group that has strong African teams. He posited that Nigeria is on the right track but noted that the second stanza would be tougher, adding that Eagles should maintained their focus as the fireworks resumes earnestly in August.

Said he: “No sentiment about it. I pray that the Franco-German gaffer on the saddle, Gernot Rohr, his crew and players would be solidly supported and encouraged to enable them to deliver Russia 2018 World Cup sole ticket in the midst of the strong opposing teams in the group. The country experimented and got result in AFCON 2013, while the second proved to be a disaster that contributed to cost us the last AFCON finals. The advantages of engaging foreign hands are much. He has all the exposure you may think of, ranging from first rate facilities, training and retraining, eyes to fish out star players, free from the act of bribery and corruption, can stand up and say no to any form of interference, influence and able to read games accurately, introduce players that would make the difference and numerous others.”

•Photo shows SCOA Nigeria Plc Chairman, Henry Agbamu.

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 22, 2017